Tag: Najee Harris

Dec 21, 2024; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers running back Najee Harris (22) rushes during the second half against the Baltimore Ravens at M&T Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-Imagn Images

Reports: Chargers sign RB Najee Harris to 1-year deal

Posted on | by Field Level Media

The Los Angeles Chargers are signing running back Najee Harris to a one-year deal worth up to $9.25 million, per NFL Network and ESPN.

Harris was a 2021 first-round pick by the Pittsburgh Steelers. He rushed for 1,000+ yards in each of his first four NFL seasons, becoming only the 14th player in league history to accomplish that feat and the first since the Tennessee Titans’ Chris Johnson in 2011.

Last season, Harris rushed for 1,043 yards and six touchdowns to go along with 36 receptions for 283 yards. He broke 22 tackles, which was tied for eighth-most in the NFL.

The 27-year-old averaged a pedestrian 4.0 yards per carry. However, Pittsburgh’s offensive line finished 18th in run block win rate.

The Chargers are overhauling the running back position. Last offseason, they signed former Baltimore Ravens running back duo JK Dobbins and Gus Edwards. In 2024, Dobbins posted 195 carries for 905 yards and nine touchdowns in 13 games, while Edwards had 365 rushing yards and four touchdowns over 101 carries.

On Friday, the Chargers released Edwards. Dobbins is an unrestricted free agent.

–Field Level Media

Oct 13, 2024; Paradise, Nevada, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers running back Najee Harris (22) gains yardage down the sidelines against the Las Vegas Raiders during the third quarter at Allegiant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images

Steelers RB Najee Harris (ribs) misses practice

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Pittsburgh Steelers starting running back Najee Harris missed practice Wednesday with a rib injury.

Fellow RB Cordarrelle Patterson also missed practice with an ankle injury.

Harris, 26, is coming off his best game of the season last week. He eclipsed 100 yards for the first time, rushing for 7.6 yards per carry and scoring his first touchdown of the campaign in a 32-13 win over Las Vegas. He finished with 106 yards rushing and 16 yards receiving.

Harris has rushed for 376 yards in six starts. He also has 14 catches for 135 yards on the season.

Jaylen Warren has rushed for just 61 yards in four games (no starts). Patterson has rushed for 92 yards in four games (one start).

Other Steelers who missed practice with injuries include safety Damontae Kazee (ankle), edge rusher Nick Herbig (hamstring) and center Zach Frazier (ankle).

The Steelers (4-2) host the New York Jets (2-4) on Sunday night.

–Field Level Media

Pittsburgh Steelers running back Najee Harris (22) finds running room against he Bills. Harris ruched for only 37 yards.

Reports: Steelers decline RB Najee Harris’ fifth-year option

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The Pittsburgh Steelers have declined to pick up the fifth-year team option for running back Najee Harris in 2025, according to multiple media reports Thursday.

Harris, 26, was projected to cost the team $6.7 million in guaranteed money. A Pro Bowl selection as a rookie in 2021, he is the first player in Steelers history to rush for 1,000 yards in each of his first three seasons.

Thursday was the deadline for teams to exercise fifth-year options for first-round draft picks in 2021. As expected, Pittsburgh also declined the option for quarterback Justin Fields — obtained in an offseason trade from the Chicago Bears — that would have paid him a guaranteed $25 million in 2025.

The Steelers could be waiting to see how Harris plays in new offensive coordinator Arthur Smith’s offense while being open to working a new contract, according to an NFL Network report. His original rookie contract is worth $13 million over four years, including $2.4 million in 2024.

The 24th overall pick out of Alabama in 2021, Harris has started all 51 games he’s played and rushed 834 times for 3,269 yards and 22 touchdowns. He also has 144 receptions for 866 yards and six TDs.

Last season, Harris had a career-low 255 attempts for 1,035 yards, making for a career-best 4.1 yards per carry. He played a career-low 53 percent of offensive snaps in 2023, compared to 84 percent when he made the NFL All-Rookie Team in 2021.

–Field Level Media

Oct 30, 2022; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Indianapolis Colts owner Jim Irsay speaks at a Ring of Honor induction ceremony for Tarik Glenn on Sunday, Oct. 30, 2022, during a game against the Washington Commanders at Indianapolis Colts at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. Mandatory Credit: Max Gersh/IndyStar-USA TODAY Sports

Colts’ Jim Irsay claims RB take not ‘directed at’ Jonathan Taylor

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Indianapolis Colts owner Jim Irsay claimed social media comments he made regarding the diminished market for NFL running backs were not directed at his team’s All-Pro back, Jonathan Taylor.

Irsay’s most recent comments on Thursday came one day after he took aim at Najee Harris following the Pittsburgh Steelers star saying the league’s top running backs were discussing the idea of altering the way salaries of franchise-tagged players are determined in a bid to make top-tier money. Irsay dismissed the notion, saying “some (a)gents are selling ‘bad faith.’”

Irsay’s comment drew the ire of Taylor’s agent Malki Kawa, who tweeted: “Bad faith is not paying your top offensive player.”

“The comment wasn’t really directed at Jonathan,” Irsay told ESPN. “We haven’t exchanged any contract numbers with each other or anything like that. So, it’s not like we’re in the midst of that. I think we had a tough season last year. Didn’t win a lot of games. This is a year about coming back together and having a great year and we’re really depending on Jonathan to team up with (quarterback) Anthony Richardson to try and pull together to have a great year.”

Taylor, 24. is entering the final season of his four-year rookie contract.

He has rushed for 3,841 yards in his career — including a league-leading 1,811 in 2021, when he was selected to the All-Pro team.

Taylor has a career 4,643 yards from scrimmage to go with 36 touchdowns since being selected by the Colts in the second round of the 2020 NFL Draft.

–Field Level Media

Aug 28, 2022; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers running back Najee Harris (22) runs against the Detroit Lions during the first quarter at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Philip G. Pavely-USA TODAY Sports

Steelers RB Najee Harris (foot) says he’s playing Sunday

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Pittsburgh Steelers running back Najee Harris said a foot injury he sustained in Sunday’s season-opening victory isn’t serious and he intends to play in Week 2 against the New England Patriots.

Speaking with SiriusXM’s Mad Dog Sports Radio, Harris said the injury is “nothing too crazy.”

“I’ll be back at practice this week. And then I will be playing this weekend,” Harris said.

Harris limped off the field late in the fourth quarter of the Steelers’ 23-20 overtime win in Cincinnati.

Harris had 23 rushing yards on 10 carries but also caught two passes, including a 1-yard touchdown in the second quarter.

The 24-year-old Harris was a Pro Bowl selection in 2021 after the Steelers selected him in the first round of the draft from Alabama. He played in all 17 games and ran for 1,200 yards and seven touchdowns. He also caught 74 passes for 467 yards and three scores.

In other injury news, the Steelers worked out linebacker Ryan Anderson on Tuesday with star T.J. Watt likely headed for injured reserve, NFL Network reported.

Anderson, 28, was a second-round pick out of Alabama in 2017 and played four seasons with Washington (2017-20).

He signed with the New York Giants in March 2021 but was released after being suspended six games for violating the NFL’s policy on performance-enhancing substances.

Anderson registered 86 tackles, 15 quarterback hits, six sacks and five forced fumbles in 52 games (four starts) with Washington.

Watt, the 2021 NFL Defensive Player of the Year, is out indefinitely after tearing a pectoral muscle during Sunday’s season-opening win against the Cincinnati Bengals.

–Field Level Media

Sep 11, 2022; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow (9) is sacked by Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker T.J. Watt (90) during the third quarter of a Week 1 NFL football game at Paycor Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Cara Owsley-USA TODAY Sports

Steelers LB T.J. Watt (pec) might put off surgery; RB could also miss time

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Pittsburgh Steelers All-Pro linebacker T.J. Watt is contemplating non-surgical rehab for a torn pectoral muscle suffered in Sunday’s win over the Cincinnati Bengals.

Watt, the reigning NFL Defensive Player of the Year and a four-time Pro Bowl selection, had an interception and a sack before leaving the eventual Steelers’ win.

NFL Network reported Watt has discussed the injury with his older brother, J.J. Watt of the Arizona Cardinals, who had surgery for a similar injury in his 10th NFL season but returned sooner than expected. J.J. Watt said he felt great eight weeks post-surgery.

The normal recovery time from the surgical corrective operation is three months, a projection that would imply T.J. Watt wouldn’t return until December.

Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin plans to update Watt’s status later this week. The Steelers are also uncertain whether running back Najee Harris (foot) can play this week.

A timetable for his return from an injury that could be connected to a Lisfranc sprain during training camp won’t be established until further testing is completed, per multiple reports. The initial report from the team on Sunday was Harris left with an ankle injury.

Harris had 23 rushing yards on 10 carries but also caught two passes, including a 1-yard touchdown in the second quarter.

Wide receiver Chase Claypool finished the game as Pittsburgh’s leading rusher with 36 yards on six carries.

Undrafted rookie backup running back Jaylen Warren gained seven yards on three carries.

–Field Level Media

Aug 28, 2022; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker T.J. Watt (90) before playing the Detroit Lions at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Philip G. Pavely-USA TODAY Sports

Steelers’ T.J. Watt, Najee Harris injured vs. Bengals

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Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker T.J. Watt and running back Najee Harris departed Sunday’s game against the Cincinnati Bengals with injuries and were ruled out for the game.

Watt suffered a left pectoral injury late in regulation before the Steelers and Bengals headed to overtime.

The Steelers beat the Bengals on a 53-yard field goal conversion by Chris Boswell as time expired in the extra period.

Reports said Watt, the reigning NFL Defensive Player of the Year, was seen on the television broadcast mouthing the words, “I tore my pec.”

Harris injured his foot and limped off the field, also occurring late in the fourth quarter.

Harris had 23 rushing yards on 10 carries but also caught two passes, including a 1-yard touchdown in the second quarter.

–Field Level Media

Dec 9, 2021; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers running back Najee Harris (22) in action against the Minnesota Vikings at U.S. Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Becker-USA TODAY Sports

Steelers RB Najee Harris (elbow) expected to face Chiefs

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Pittsburgh Steelers running back Najee Harris has been removed from the injured list and is expected to face the host Kansas City Chiefs in Sunday night’s AFC wild-card game.

Harris, 23, injured his elbow in last Sunday’s 16-13 overtime victory over the host Baltimore Ravens. He was a full participant in Friday’s practice and the team listed him as questionable for Sunday’s game.

“It was sore for a couple of days but it’s feeling better,” Harris said after Friday’s practice.

The 24th pick of the 2021 NFL Draft, the Alabama product finished fourth in the league with 1,200 rushing yards, which led all rookies this season. In addition to seven rushing touchdowns, Harris has 74 receptions for 367 yards and three more scores.

In the Steelers’ 36-10 loss at Kansas City on Dec. 26, Harris rushed for a game-high 93 yards on 19 carries. He also had five catches for 17 yards.

–Field Level Media

May 4, 2021; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers running back Najee Harris (22) practices at the UPMC Rooney Sports Complex during rookie minicamp, Friday, May 14, 2021 in Pittsburgh, PA. Mandatory Credit: Karl Roster/Handout Photo via USA TODAY Sports

Steelers sign first-round pick RB Najee Harris

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The Pittsburgh Steelers signed first-round pick Najee Harris on Tuesday to the standard four-year rookie contract.

It’s worth a fully guaranteed $13.1 million with a team option for a fifth season.

Harris finished his career as Alabama’s all-time leading rusher with 3,843 yards and 46 touchdowns. He also had 80 career receptions for 781 yards and 11 TDs.

Harris, 23, was the first running back selected in the 2021 draft at No. 24 overall.

–Field Level Media